


Merlin's Birthday

by Miranda MacAlasdair (encore11)



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-06
Updated: 2011-12-06
Packaged: 2017-10-27 00:07:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/289387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/encore11/pseuds/Miranda%20MacAlasdair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Merlin's birthday today! But will anyone remember?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Merlin's Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> This is meant to be a light hearted oneshot, not to be taken too seriously!

Merlin woke up that morning, excited and ready for the day. Not very many people knew it, but today was his birthday. He was pretty sure that Gaius was planning something special, nothing too big obviously, but maybe a nice dinner.

So he sprang up and got dressed, humming as he entered Gaius' chamber. "Ah, Merlin, I'm glad you're up. I have a surprise for you." The old man said cheerfully. Merlin grinned, and sat down at the table, thinking that maybe it would be a special breakfast instead. Gaius picked up a bucket and said "I need you to go to the lake and collect some leeches. I'm almost out." He slammed it down on the table and returned to mixing some liquids.

Merlin looked mournfully at the bucket. "You can't be serious." He muttered

"Oh, I'm very serious. Leeches are important you know. They help cure people of many different illnesses, including fevers, an imbalance of humors…" Gaius started

"Ok, ok, I'm going. Right now." Merlin grabbed the bucket and ran out the door before Gaius could continue his lecture.

An hour later, Merlin returned with a bucket full of leeches. He handed them to a happy Gaius and went to change his muddy clothes. What a miserable way to start a birthday! He thought to himself as he pried a leech off his leg. Gaius didn't even remember! Still, maybe Arthur will say something. He paused, shook his head, and thought Well, maybe Gwen will remember…

He stopped to pick up the Prince's breakfast and headed to his chambers. Of course Arthur was still in bed. It was amazing how energetic he could be on the battlefield when he was so lethargic the rest of the time.

He pulled open the curtains and said "Rise and shine!" as cheerfully as he could manage. Arthur just groaned and pulled a pillow over his head. "Come on, sire, your breakfast is ready and you've got training to do today."

"Go away Merlin." came a muffled response from underneath the pillow.

"Seriously Arthur, you've got to get up. Last time I let you sleep in you blamed me for being late and the King put me in the stocks. Again." He took the pillow away from Arthur, who responded by pulling the blankets over his head. "This is what you get for drinking so much at the feast last night! Now get up!" Merlin ripped the blankets away, revealing a very grumpy Prince Arthur.

"Merlin, has anyone ever told you that you're an idiot?" he snarled, pulling the blankets back.

"Yeah, a few times. Now come on, you're going to be late." Merlin started to get out the Prince's clothes. Finally Arthur got up and stumbled to the table where his breakfast was laid out.

"Merlin. What on earth is this?" Arthur picked up a piece of fruit and held it limply in front of his face.

"Breakfast." Merlin said as he started to make the bed

"This is fruit. Fruit is not breakfast. Go and find me some REAL breakfast! Now!" Arthur picked up the plate and threw it at Merlin's head. Merlin ducked, and the fruit splattered against the wall. "And clean that up when you get back!"

Five miserable hours later, it was very clear to Merlin that Arthur had woken up on the wrong side of the bed that morning. He was surly and grumpy all day long, and he took it out his manservant. Whether it was whacking him with a sword or making him muck out the stables while he took a nap, it all added up to a pretty horrible birthday.

Just as Merlin scooped up the last bit of horse dung, Lancelot, Gwaine, and Leon rode up. "Merlin, you look awful. I think you might need a bath." said Gwaine as he dismounted. Lancelot and Leon laughed.

"Yeah, probably." He started to walk away. He just wasn't in the mood to be the butt of their jokes. Again.

"No, come on Merlin, he was just kidding!" Lancelot called. "Cheer up. After all, today is a very special day!" Merlin turned, hardly daring to hope that one of them had remembered. In fact, he didn't think he'd ever told any of them when his birthday was.

"That's right! Today's the day that the castle privy gets mucked out! No more stinking moat!" said Gwaine, laughing.

"Yeah, I guess so." muttered Merlin

"Where's Arthur?" Sir Leon asked

"He's sleeping off an ale-head. I wouldn't bother him if I were you." said Merlin angrily. He'd just about had enough of this horrible day. Right now all he wanted to do was go back to bed. But unlike the Prince, there were still things he had to do before the day was over.

Merlin walked slowly through the town to Gwen's house. He was delivering her some flowers from Arthur (who had finally decided to wake up. He was still in a bad mood, but even that couldn't make him neglect Guinevere). He knocked, and Gwen opened the door. "Hello Merlin! How are you today? Come in, please!"

"I'm fine. These are for you from Arthur. He would have brought them himself, but he's stuck training some new knights today." Merlin thrust the flowers at her.

"Oh, they're beautiful! Tell him I say thank you." She put the flowers in a vase.

"Yeah, I will." Gwen was humming distractedly, so Merlin decided to go.

Just as he was about to walk out the door, Gwen said "Oh, by the way, Merlin!" he turned, not really hoping this time, just waiting. "Will you also tell Arthur that I can't join him for dinner tonight? I've got somewhere to be." She turned back to arranging the flowers.

"Yeah, alright."

Finally, finally the day was over. It was possibly one of the worst days he'd ever had, not including all the days he'd nearly died. The worst non-lethal day ever. But Arthur was all tucked into bed, his chores were done, and he was going to his room and going to sleep.

He opened the door to Gaius' chamber and walked in. The lights were all dark, so he figured that Gaius was asleep already.

"SURPRISE!"

Merlin jumped a foot in the air. Suddenly light flooded the room and he saw Gaius, Lancelot, Gwen, and Gwaine around the food-covered table.

"What- What is this?" Merlin asked, dumbfounded.

"You didn't really think that I'd forgotten your birthday, did you?" asked Gaius, coming forward and leading Merlin to the table.

"Well yeah, I did actually…" said Merlin. "Was this the 'somewhere you had to be tonight', Gwen?"

"Of course! I wouldn't miss your birthday Merlin!"

"Nor I!" said Lancelot as he clapped him on the back.

"And you know me, I can't miss a party. Especially when there's wine." said Gwaine as he poured himself a glass.

A grin slowly crept up Merlin's face. He really had the best friends in all of Camelot.

The party went on for a while. Gwaine kept pouring more drinks, and everyone was having too much of a good time to quit.

Suddenly Gaius' chamber door opened and everyone fell quiet. Arthur walked in, saying "Gaius, I can't sleep, could you give me one of your sleeping…" he stopped dead at the scene in front of him.

There was a moment of awkward silence, broken when Arthur said "What on earth is this?"

Gwen got up and took his hands. "It's Merlin's birthday party, Arthur!" she smiled brightly up at him, hoping that he wouldn't be angry.

"Is this why you couldn't come to dinner?" he pouted

"Yes. Sorry." Arthur pulled away from Gwen, came to the table and leaned imposingly over Merlin.

"Merlin…" he said in a quiet, serious voice.

"Yes, sire?" Merlin asked weakly.

"WHY WASN'T I INVITED?"


End file.
